THE future for health care services in west Wales will be announced this morning (Wednesday) with many fearing the loss of vital life-saving provision.

Hywel Dda University Health Board will hold an extraordinary meeting of its Transforming Clinical Services plan where a decision on what is next for healthcare will be taken.

A public consultation has been carried out – with all three options on the table including the downgrading of Pembrokeshire’s Withybush Hospital – and responses analysed by Opinion Research Services (ORS).

Proposal A would see Withybush, Glangwili and Prince Philip become community hospitals, with a new urgent and planned care (UPC) hospital build between Narberth and St Clears.

Proposal B would also see a new UPC hospital built near the county border, while Prince Philip and Bronglais would remain as general hospitals.

Proposal C involved separating planned and urgent care across two sites (Glangwili and a new hospital), while Bronglais and Prince Philip remain the same.

The health board states that the clinician-led way forward will be presented at the meeting today Wednesday, September 26, 10am at Carmarthenshire County Council’s offices.

However, the agenda for the meeting will not be available until proceedings begin.

The meeting will be webcast here.

UPDATE: 10.40: Withybush and Glangwili Hospitals will be downgraded with a new urgent and planned care hospital to be built between Narberth and St Clears.

A formal feasibility study will be carried out to determine where the new hopsital would be. 

Full story here.